MPIF president highlights MIM resilience and strong metal AM potential

The annual ‘State of the PM Industry in North America’ address was presented by the Metal Powder Industries Federation’s (MPIF) President, Christopher Adam, at the 2026 Powder Metallurgy World Congress (WorldPM2026), held in Montreal, Canada, June 26-29. During his overview of the wider industry, Adam reported on Metal Injection Molding, as well as Press and Sinter PM, metal Additive Manufacturing, and Hot/Cold Isostatic Pressing (HIP/CIP).

“The global powder metallurgy (PM) industry is navigating what can best be described as a period of ‘glorious uncertainty,’ driven by political upheaval, trade disruptions, technological shifts, sustainability challenges, and geopolitical conflict,” stated Adam. “These forces are reshaping metal powder technologies, including conventional press-and-sinter PM, Metal Injection Molding, and metal Additive Manufacturing.”

“A major disruptor has been tariff volatility. The imposition, invalidation, and restructuring of US global tariffs, along with sector-specific steel and aluminium duties, have created significant uncertainty in pricing, contracts, and supply chains. Companies are being forced to renegotiate supplier and customer agreements while reassessing sourcing strategies,” continued Adam.

MIM & Metal AM sectors

“Metal Injection Molding continues to demonstrate resilience,” Adam highlighted. “Industry surveys show cautious optimism, with growth concentrated in medical and stainless steel applications, even as firearms demand softens. MIM’s core strength, high-volume production of complex geometries, remains intact.”

However, MIM faces challenges from tariffs, labour shortages, inflationary pressures, and overseas competition, added Adam. “Updated MPIF material standards and engineering data are helping strengthen design confidence and quality compliance, and many believe the MIM industry is about to begin its recovery.”

“Metal AM remains promising but turbulent. After years of heavy investment and hype, the sector has faced consolidation and high-profile bankruptcies. Most of the metal AM success has been led by powder-bed-fusion (PBF) and directed-energy deposition (DED) processes, where the industry has shifted from prototyping to production, qualification, and implementation.”

“High capital costs, raw material prices, and technical hurdles have slowed adoption,” stated Adam. “Nevertheless, innovation continues in binder development, hybrid additive-subtractive systems, cold spray-based processes, and AI-assisted process optimisation. AM currently complements MIM in prototyping and low-volume production but will become more competitive if productivity and reliability improve.”

MIM and metal AM powders

In North America, the MIM and metal AM spherical powder producers experienced continued shipment declines in early 2025, extending a downturn that began in 2023, claimed Adam. “The slowdown was largely attributed to excess inventories accumulated during prior years when purchases outpaced consumption. In addition, the increased reuse of print and build-bed powders in AM processes reduced the need for new powder purchases, further dampening demand. Feedstock producers, among the largest consumers of spherical metal powders, also contributed to market instability by maintaining substantial raw powder inventories to safeguard supply continuity for their customers. While this strategy ensured production reliability, it suppressed new powder orders and prolonged the correction cycle across the supply chain.”

Despite the challenging start to the year, it was stated that many industry experts reported that market conditions began to improve in the second half of 2025. Inventory levels gradually normalised, and order activity strengthened. “Powder producers are increasingly optimistic that the recovery will continue through 2026 and beyond, with some anticipating sustained double-digit growth if demand trends hold.”

Stainless steels, low-alloy steels, and titanium remain the core materials used in MIM applications. However, Additive Manufacturing has significantly broadened the material landscape, stated Adam. “AM technologies enable greater use of aluminium, copper, titanium, tungsten, and a growing range of specialised alloys, expanding opportunities across multiple industries,” he said.

“Demand growth is particularly strong in aerospace, defence, and medical sectors, where performance requirements and design complexity favour powder-based manufacturing technologies,” Adam said.

“Combined North American metal powder shipments for MIM and AM are estimated to have increased by approximately 5% in 2025, signalling early recovery,” he said. “While some industry insiders described 2025 shipment levels as comparable to the prior year, there is broad consensus that 2026 will deliver more meaningful growth as inventory corrections subside and end-market demand strengthens. With improving conditions and expanding application opportunities, the MIM and AM metal powder sector appears positioned for a more robust growth phase in the years ahead.”

The outlook

“In many ways, the PM industry is being tested, and defined, at this moment,” continued Adam. “MIM remains steady but measured, balancing opportunity with caution. Metal AM offers unbridled potential but must still clear financial and technical hurdles before it can be fully scaled. Across every platform, the fundamentals remain the same: strong workforce development, resilient supply networks, and sustained investment in R&D will determine who leads in this volatile era.”

“But challenges and opportunities often arrive together. The PM industry stands at the threshold of meaningful transformation, with the tools, expertise, and ingenuity to chart new pathways for growth. By embracing sustainability, accelerating technological advancement, and deepening collaboration across sectors, we can turn uncertainty into momentum. Advancing metal powder technologies will not only unlock new applications, but it will also strengthen our collective position in a rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.”

“The sky is the limit! Rare-earth sintered magnets; drones; humanoid robots; energy storage; thermal management; soft-magnetic-composites (SMC) for electric motors; surgical instruments; wearable devices; turbocharger components; small complex aerospace components; fuel nozzles; nuclear components; and manufacturing tools are all opportunities for metal powder technologies.”

“The PM industry needs to seize opportunities when they arise and be bold enough to create them when they don’t. I am confident that our industry is well positioned to meet the evolving needs of our customers and to rise to the challenges ahead with resilience and innovation,” concluded Adam.

www.mpif.org